Tree simulating card display



Dec. 23, 1958 w. L. CLAWSON TREE SIMULATING CARD DISPLAY Filed Feb. 24, 1955 l6 INVENTOR.

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Weldon L. C/awaon,

iclrrited States Patent 2,855,122 Patented Dec. 23, 1958 ice This invention relates 'to a new and improveddisplay device, and more particularly a device for displaying greeting cards and the like to-simulate "a; tree.

An-object of the invention is to provide 'a-card-display device which iseconomicalto-manufacture, durable in construction, aesthetic in appearance and easily assembled.

An additional'object ofthe invention-is to provide a greeting card display device ofknock-down type, requiring aminimum of shipping-and'storage space.

A furtherobject-of the-invention is to provide a display device simulating a treein appearance and'consisting of a foundation on which-greeting cards maybe arranged as branches of the tree.

Still another object of the invention'is to provide a display device of knock-down type having means for attaching greeting cards-or the like thereto to simulate branches of a tree.

A further object of the invention-is the provision of a novel revolving support-or base for .the display device of this invention.

With *the .above -and-otherobjects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims, which together constitute a full disclosure of the invention.

In the drawings: I

Fig. l is a perspective view of the display device with a complement of greeting cards retained thereby to simulate a tree;

Pig. 2 is a perspective view of the foundation members having the greeting cards removed therefrom and retain in operative position by a form of supporting base therefor;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one element of the foundation;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the other element; Figs. 3 and 4 together showing the manner of assembly of the elements forming the tree foundation;

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of one form of a base or support for the tree foundation;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the foundation assembly showing a second form of modification of the base; and

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the modified base shown in Fig. 7.

Attention is now directed to the drawings, wherein like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several figures illustrated and there is shown therein a base unit including a lower base member or support 10 having a vertically disposed hole or opening 12 to accommodate a vertically depending trunnion 14 fixedly mounted substantially normal to a relatively rotatable turntable member 16. A washer 18 surrounds the trunnion 14 intermediate the turntable member 16 and base member 1!) providing easy rotational movement therebetween. The base 10 and turntable 16 may be rectangular,circular'or of anyconfiguration desired and forthepurpose of illustration is disclosed in'the present instance-assquare. Asupport meansin the form of a plurality of resilientspring clips 20 are fixed on the turn- 'table 1 6near the corners'thereof. The-"clips 20 comprise substantially U-s'hapecl'members'of'spring metal attached at their bights, bysuitable'means tothe turntable 16 in pairs. Each-clip of the respective pairs are positioned atoppositecorners of the turntable 16 with the legportions thereof extendingver tically upwardly and with each -elip '20of eachpair having the securing portion thereof aligned along "the diagonals of the turntable 16 with the securing portion of "the other'clip 20*of thepair'which is secured on the oppositecorner ofthe turntable 16.

It is to be noted that this specific disposition "of the clips 2il, in pairsywith each'pairhavingone clip secured '-tothe opposite diagonal corner -of-"the turntable 16 in "diagonal alignment providesthat-"the tree foundation may be secured to the 'turntable in specificmelation to each other, to be explained hereinafter. v

The tree foundation includes a pair of intersecting profile members or plates 22 and 24, each substantially in the form-of an=isoscles-triangle, which are 'assembled'so 'thattheir outer edgesform-the corners of an imaginary quadrangular pyramid. -Th'e equalsides of plate 22 are indicated byreference-numeral 26 and-similarly the equal sides o'f 'plate 24-'are-indicated by numeral 28. Each side '26of plate'22is provided along the edge thereof with a 'plurality of spaced kerfs L30. Similarly each side 28 "of plate 24is-provided'with kerfs '32. The kerfs '36 and '32 are disposed substantially horizontallyand extend generally'inwardly from the peripheraledge of the certain fsides 26 and-28, respectively. Further, thekerfs 3'0 and '32 may be staggered :in horizontal relationship to'each other. 'Inother words,='the kerfs30 'maybeoitset horizontally from 'each other along the-line of height of the plate 22 and similarly the kerfs 32 may be horizontally offset in relation to each other along the height of plate 24. Also if desired, the kerfs 30 and 32 may be horizontally offset from each other along the height of the tree foundation so that the kerfs along the certain sides will be horizontally offset along the height of the imaginary pyramid with respect to the kerfs of the immediately adjacent certain sides. Such horizontal offset of the kerfs assures that when a plurality of cards have been placed on the tree, one in each kerf, that the cards will not interfere with cards carried in the adjacent kerfs. The plates 22 and 24 may be slightly truncated by having a small portion of their apices removed as at 34 and 36 respectively with an additional substantially vertically disposed generally upwardly opening kerf 38 being provided in the truncated portion 34 of plate 22. Plate 22 is further provided with a slot 40 extending vertically from its base 42 for approximately two-thirds of its height. Plate 26 has a slot 44 extending from its truncated apex 36, approximately one-third of its height, toward its base 46. The widths of the slots 40 and 44 are substantially the thickness of the plates 22 and 24.

Assembly is accomplished by arranging plates 22 and 24 in substantially perpendicular intersecting planes and slipping them together longitudinally so that slot 40 embraces the lower part of plate 24, and slot 44 embraces the upper part of plate 22 as shown in Fig. 2. The assembled structure is next placed on the rotatable turntable member 16 by inserting the bases 42 and 46 of the assembled plates 22 and 24 in clips 20, also as shown in Fig. 2.

In Figs. 7 and 8 there is shown a modified form of the support structure of my invention wherein the base unit includes a rotatable member 116 having a trunnion 114 disposed normal thereto and depending substantially vertically therefrom. Turntable 116 is provided on its upper face with a modification of the support means which is in the form of a pair of diagonally intersecting grooves 118 and 120 having a width substantially equal to the thickness of the bases 42 and 46 of plates 22 and 24, respectively. The bases 42 and 46 of the plates 22 and 24 are inserted in the grooves 118,and 120 for assembly of the device for display purposes.

In use a plurality of greeting cards, advertising flyers or the like 48 are placed in a somewhat random manner in kerfs 30, 32 and 38 to simulate an ornamental tree. The device is particularly useful for the display of Christmas and other greeting cards as they are received. Obviously, the device may be made in sizes to accommodate either a small or a large number of cards. It is also apparent that assembly and dis-assembly of this tree device is simple and that only a small amount of space is required for storage or shipping.

While specific forms of the invention have been described it is understood that various changes in proportions and minor details of constructions may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of or sacrificing any advantages of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A display device for greeting cards comprising a pair of intersecting profile members, each substantially an isosceles triangle in outline, each having a complementary slot for assembly in a desired position substantially perpendicular to each other forming the corners of an imaginary substantially vertically disposed quadrangular pyramid, the equal sides of each triangular profile member having a plurality of vertically aligned substantially horizontally disposed kerfs adapted to receive therein greeting cards or the like to simulate limbs of a tree, said kerfs of each equal side being horizontally offset with respect to the kerfs of the adjacent equal sides along the height of the imaginary pyramid, one of said profile members having an upwardly opening kerf disposed substantially vertically from the apex thereof, and

a base unit including support means to position and retain said profile members in the substantially vertical position, said base unit comprising a fixed base member having a substantially vertically disposed opening therein and a rotatable member having a depending trunnion journaled in said opening of said fixed base member with said support means being carried by said rotatable member and engaging the lower portions of said profile members.

2. A display device for greeting cards or the like comprising a pair of intersecting profile members, each substantially triangular in outline, each having a complementary slot for assembly in a desired position substantially perpendicular to each other to form an imaginary pyramid, certain sides of each profile member having a plurality of vertically aligned substantially horizontally disposed kerfs adapted to receive greeting cards or the like, said kerfs of each side being horizontally offset with respect to the kerfs of the immediately adjacent certain sides along the height of the imaginary pyramid, one of said profile members having an upwardly opening kerf disposed substantially vertically from the apex thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent 

